1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a feeding connector used for charging an automobile in which incomplete connection between a feeding connector half and a receiving connector half is prevented and the connection work of both connector halves can be easily carried out with small insertion force.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIGS. 15 and 16 show a conventional feeding connector which is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Showa 50-95790.
The feeding connector comprises a female connector half 71 (a receiving connector half), which is fixed to a vehicle body or the like, and a male connector half 72 (a feeding connector half), which is attached to a feeding equipment. In the feeding connector, a hood 75 of the female connector 71 is inserted into a gap between a housing main body 73 of the male connector 72 and a coupling nut 74 mounted on an outer periphery of the housing main body 73, and a stud 76 on an inner wall of the coupling nut 74 is forced to proceed into a spiral channel 77 while rotating the coupling nut 74 to connect the male connector half 72 to the female connector half 71. That is, the conventional connector adopts a so-called bayonet-lock method. A concave portion 77a is formed at an end of the spiral channel 77 and the stud 76 is engaged with the concave portion 77a to lock them each other in a complete connection of the both connector halves. In the figures, numeral 78 show male terminals, 79 female terminals, 80 a spring, and 81 a gasket. The spring 80 urges the housing main body 73 to the female connector half 71.
With the bayonet-locking type feeding connector, when the female and male connector halves 71 and 72 are engaged with each other, there is a fear of stopping the rotation of the coupling nut 74 before completely locking the connector halves 71 and 72. Further, it is difficult to check at a glance whether the locking is complete or not. The coupling nut 74 is rotated so as to be fastened, which causes the work to be worrisome and the worker's hands will ache with the work. Further, in a multi-pole connector with increased number of terminals accommodated in the female and male connector halves, considerably large force is required to connect the connector halves 71 and 72 to each other, but, it is difficult for the bayonet-locking type connector to carry out the looking operation with reduced insertion force.
The present invention has been accomplished to eliminate the drawbacks of the conventional feeding connector described above and the object thereof is to provide an electrical connector for charging an automobile with reduced insertion force in which the incomplete locking of the connector halves is securely prevented; the operation efficiency of the locking is improved; and the connection or disconnection between the connector halves are carried out with an one-touch operation.